Bacolod foundation top 3 in World Challenge

A Bacolod foundation has been voted one of the three top winners of the BBC World Challenge 2010 competition, with the champion to be announced in Amsterdam November 29. The Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc. (AIDFI) based in Mansilingan village was cited for its hydraulic ram pump that brought water to remote villages. “We have received over 167,000 votes, from all over the world, for the twelve projects and we are delighted to say that your project has been voted as one of the top three projects in the World Challenge 2010," Kirsty Wyllie of the BBC World Challenge Team was quoted as saying in an article on the news site Visayan Daily Star. "We would like to invite you to join us at the Awards Ceremony to be held in Amsterdam on November 29th," Wyllie told AIDFI chief executive officer Auke Idzenga in a message, news site Visayan Daily Star reported Thursday. Idzenga said he was told the awarding will be filmed by BBC and broadcast in the Philippines on BBC World News at 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on December 4. The announcement of the winners will be made only in the ceremony, Idzenga added, even as he thanked supporters for their votes and support. “It's baffling how some inventions fail to achieve a tipping point. The hydraulic ram pump – which has been around for a couple of centuries falls into this category. The Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc. is determined to see the ram pump finally come into its own," the BBC World Challenge website said. "Using the power of a river's flow to literally push water uphill without any other energy input, it's proving to be a boon for poor villagers living in mountainous regions," the BBC website said. “The ram pump can save both hours of back-breaking work carrying water and cash where expensive water pumps are replaced. AIDFI has introduced the ram pump to over 170 upland villages, and has plans to spread the benefits far and wide among poor communities," it added. AIDFI was the lone finalist from the Philippines among the 12 selected from more than 800 nominees worldwide. Idzenga said the hydraulic ram pump can pump water to high elevation without fuel and electricity, being powered only by water. He said its model unit uses ordinary door hinges as the main moving part. Idzenga said AIDFI has installed ram pumps in 170 villages providing easy access to water. – VVP, GMANews.TV